CLAUDIO Reyna came through a one-hour reserve team run-out for Manchester City on Monday night to put him in line for a Premiership return against Sunderland this weekend.

Reyna's appearance in the 2-0 win over Bolton was his first since Boxing Day, after which it was confirmed he had been playing through the pain of a broken ankle.

With Joey Barton suspended, Blues boss Stuart Pearce desperately needs some midfield back-up for the visit of Mick McCarthy's side and providing Reyna suffers no reaction in training this week, is almost certain to be involved against his former club.

Regular first-team squad men Bradley Wright-Phillips, Lee Croft and David Sommeil were also in action but it was Marc Laird and Ishmael Miller who grabbed City's goals either side of the interval.